Methods of forming a graphene material on a surface are presented. A metal material is disposed on a material substrate or material layer and is infused with carbon, for example, by exposing the metal to a carbon-containing vapor. The carbon-containing metal material is annealed to cause graphene to precipitate onto the bottom of the metal material to form a graphene layer between the metal material and the material substrate/material layer and also onto the top and/or sides of the metal material. Graphene material is removed from the top and sides of the metal material and then the metal material is removed, leaving only the graphene layer that was formed on the bottom of the metal material. In some cases graphene material that formed on one or more side of the sides of the metal material is not removed so that a vertical graphene material layer is formed.
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1. A method for forming graphene material on a surface, comprising the steps of: forming a material substrate; depositing a metal material layer on the material substrate, the metal material layer being a patterned metal material layer having at least one side surface and having a bottom surface in contact with the material substrate and further having a top surface not in contact with the material substrate; forming a desired concentration of carbon in the metal material layer to form a carbon-containing metal material; applying a heating/cooling cycle to the carbon-containing metal material layer to diffuse the carbon within the metal material layer; cooling the carbon-containing metal material layer to precipitate a first graphene material (GM) onto the bottom surface of the metal material layer and further to precipitate a second graphene material (GM2) onto the top surface of the metal material layer and onto the least one side surface of the patterned metal material layer; removing GM2 from the top surface of the metal material layer; and removing the metal material layer without removing the GM; wherein the GM remains on the surface of the material substrate; and wherein the GM2 is not removed from the at least one side of the metal material layer, the GM2 that is not removed comprising a vertical grapheme material structure.
A method for creating graphene on a surface involves first creating a material substrate. Then, a patterned metal material layer is deposited on top of the substrate. This metal layer has at least one side exposed, a bottom touching the substrate, and a top exposed to air. Carbon is added to the metal layer to achieve a desired concentration, forming a carbon-containing metal material. A heating/cooling cycle is applied, causing carbon to diffuse within the metal. This results in the precipitation of a first graphene material (GM) on the bottom of the metal layer and a second graphene material (GM2) on the top and sides. GM2 is removed from the top surface, but not from the side. Finally, the metal layer is removed, leaving GM on the substrate surface and a vertical graphene material structure (GM2) on the side.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the material substrate is selected from the group consisting of silicon, sapphire, silicon-on-insulator, quartz, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, and cadmium telluride.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, has a material substrate that can be silicon, sapphire, silicon-on-insulator, quartz, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, or cadmium telluride. This means that any of these materials can be used as the foundation upon which the graphene and metal layers are built.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material is selected based on one of a solubility limit of carbon in the metal material and a diffusion characteristic of carbon in the metal material.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, uses a metal material selected based on two properties: the solubility limit of carbon in the metal, or how much carbon the metal can hold, and the diffusion characteristic of carbon in the metal, or how easily carbon moves through the metal. These properties determine how well graphene forms during the annealing step.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material comprises one of copper, nickel, ruthenium, cobalt, iron, and zinc.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, uses a metal material such as copper, nickel, ruthenium, cobalt, iron, or zinc. Any of these metals can function as the metal layer within which the carbon is diffused and from which the graphene precipitates.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material comprises a carbon alloy.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, uses a metal material that is a carbon alloy. In other words, the metal layer is not a pure metal, but a mixture of a metal and carbon.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal material layer is a nanoparticle metal material layer.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, uses a metal material layer that is made of nanoparticles. The metal layer is not a continuous film, but a collection of tiny metal particles.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of carbon in the metal material layer is formed by exposing the metal material to a carbon-containing vapor at a selected temperature.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, achieves the carbon concentration in the metal by exposing the metal to a carbon-containing vapor at a specific temperature. This means the metal layer is placed in an atmosphere containing carbon gas, which diffuses into the metal.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of carbon in the metal material is formed by depositing a layer of carbon or carbon-containing material on the top surface of the metal material layer.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, achieves the carbon concentration in the metal by depositing a layer of carbon or a carbon-containing material on top of the metal layer. This means a carbon-rich film is placed directly on the metal surface to supply the carbon source.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of carbon in the metal material is formed by ion implantation of carbon or carbon-containing atoms into the metal material.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, achieves the carbon concentration in the metal by using ion implantation to inject carbon or carbon-containing atoms into the metal. This is a high-energy process where carbon ions are shot into the metal.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating/cooling cycle is a rapid thermal anneal.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, applies a heating/cooling cycle that is a rapid thermal anneal. This means the carbon-containing metal layer is quickly heated and cooled to encourage carbon diffusion and graphene precipitation.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising depositing a material layer on a top surface of the material substrate before deposition of the metal material.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, also includes depositing a material layer on top of the material substrate before depositing the metal material. Therefore, there is an additional layer between the initial substrate and the metal.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the material layer comprises one of aluminum oxide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, gallium nitride, aluminum gallium arsenide, indium gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride, organic light emitting diode material, material as substrate for touch screen, thin film of photovoltaic material, thin film of material for display, barrier metal, and titanium nitride.
The method for creating graphene on a surface, which involves creating a material substrate, depositing a material layer, depositing a patterned metal layer, infusing carbon, annealing to precipitate graphene (GM) on the bottom and graphene (GM2) on the top and sides, removing GM2 from the top but not the sides, and removing the metal, has a material layer that can be aluminum oxide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, gallium nitride, aluminum gallium arsenide, indium gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride, organic light emitting diode material, material as substrate for touch screen, thin film of photovoltaic material, thin film of material for display, barrier metal, or titanium nitride. This material layer provides a specific interface between the substrate and the metal.
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April 6, 2012
August 6, 2013
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